U.S. patent application number 13/361206 was filed with the patent office on 2013-08-01 for linear seat belt pretensioner.
This patent application is currently assigned to AUTOLIV ASP, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Jon E. Burrow, Timothy J. Cahill. Invention is credited to Jon E. Burrow, Timothy J. Cahill.
Application Number | 20130193741 13/361206 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48869595 |
Filed Date | 2013-08-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130193741 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cahill; Timothy J. ; et
al. |
August 1, 2013 |
LINEAR SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER
Abstract
A linear seat belt pretensioner (10, 110, 210) has a frame (12;
112, 113; 212, 213) and an axial cavity (24, 60; 124, 160; 232)
rigidly connected to the frame (12; 112, 113; 212, 213), a gas
generator (20, 120, 220) in fluid communication with the axial
cavity (24, 60; 124, 160, 232), and a piston (40, 140, 240) movably
arranged in the axial cavity (24, 60; 124, 160; 232). An actuating
profile (42, 142, 242) movable with the piston (40, 140) pulls a
length of seat belt webbing (38, 238) into the frame (12; 112, 113;
212, 213) that corresponds to twice the piston stroke (D). The
pretensioner device having a locking ramp arrangement (66, 70; 266,
290, 292) configured to form a one-way clutch allowing an increase
and resisting a reduction of the length of belt webbing (38, 238)
received by the pretensioner (10, 110, 210).
Inventors: |
Cahill; Timothy J.; (Dryden,
MI) ; Burrow; Jon E.; (Ortonville, MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Cahill; Timothy J.
Burrow; Jon E. |
Dryden
Ortonville |
MI
MI |
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
AUTOLIV ASP, Inc.
Ogden
UT
|
Family ID: |
48869595 |
Appl. No.: |
13/361206 |
Filed: |
January 30, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/480 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R 22/1955
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/480 |
International
Class: |
B60R 22/195 20060101
B60R022/195 |
Claims
1. A linear pretensioner for use as part of a motor vehicle seat
belt restraint system of the type mountable to a motor vehicle
structure and acting on a seat belt, the pretensioner upon being
activated, pretensioning the seat belt to reduce slack in the seat
belt, the linear pretensioner comprising: a frame configured to be
fastened to a vehicle; a body rigidly connected to the frame, the
body including an axial cavity having one open axial end and one
closed axial end; an actuating assembly arranged to seal the axial
cavity and to slide relative to the body in an axial direction,
thereby expanding the axial cavity, the actuating assembly
including an actuating profile movable with the actuating assembly
in the axial direction along an actuation path; a gas generator in
fluid communication with the axial cavity and configured to
generate a gas pressure in the axial cavity that causes the
actuating assembly to slide in the axial direction; a guide
arrangement configured to receive a length of belt webbing being a
part of the seat belt restraint system, the length of belt webbing
being guided with respect to the frame in a manner that the belt
webbing extends around the actuating profile and crosses the
actuation path, the actuating profile being configured to abut the
length of belt webbing and to lengthen the length belt webbing
received by the guide arrangement upon deployment of the gas
generator by axially moving the belt webbing within the guide
arrangement along the actuation path so as to shorten the length of
the seat belt outside the guide arrangement, the pretensioner
device having a locking ramp arrangement configured to form a
one-way clutch allowing an increase of the length of belt webbing
received by the guide arrangement and resisting a reduction of the
length of belt webbing received by the guide arrangement.
2. The pretensioner device of claim 1, wherein the locking ramp
arrangement comprises two angled slots on the frame, the angled
slots forming a ramp, and a locking wedge two sliding tabs
configured to slide in the angled slots, in a manner allowing a
movement of the belt webbing into the guide arrangement and
resisting a movement of belt webbing out of the guide
arrangement.
3. The pretensioner of claim 2, further comprising that the locking
wedge has a toothed surface extending parallel to the belt webbing
and having a plurality of slanted teeth configured to engage the
belt webbing during a movement of the belt webbing outward from the
guide arrangement.
4. The pretensioner of claim 1, further comprising that the gas
generator is connected to the actuating profile and movable
therewith, and that a fluid connection through the actuating
profile connects the axial cavity extends with the gas
generator.
5. The pretensioner of claim 4, further comprising that the frame
has an axially extending opening for electrical conductors leading
from the gas generator to an electronic control unit.
6. The pretensioner device of claim 1, wherein the axial cavity is
formed by a cylinder and the actuating assembly comprises a piston
slidably arranged in the cylinder, the piston having an axial
piston section forming a ball ramp with a plurality of balls
arranged around the periphery of the ball ramp inside the cylinder,
the ball ramp, the cylinder, and the balls configured to cooperate
with each other to form the one-way clutch allowing a movement of
the piston toward the open end of the cylinder and resisting a
movement of the piston toward the closed end of the cylinder.
7. The pretensioner of claim 6, wherein the actuating profile is
formed as a part of the piston.
8. The pretensioner of claim 6, wherein the actuating profile is a
separate part connected to the piston.
9. The pretensioner of claim 1, wherein a travel of the actuating
profile along the actuation path by a distance lengthens the length
of the seat belt webbing received by the guide arrangement by twice
the distance.
10. The pretensioner of claim 1, further comprising that the
actuating assembly has axial guide elements configured to guide the
actuating profile along the actuation path.
11. The pretensioner of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the
axial cavity is formed by a cylinder partially inserted into a
block.
12. The pretensioner of claim 11, wherein the cylinder is made of
metal.
13. The pretensioner of claim 11, wherein the block is made of
metal and comprises a bore forming a part of the axial cavity.
14. The pretensioner of claim 11, further comprising an axial
collar formed on the block, the axial collar being crimped or
caulked to axially secure the gas generator inside the axial
cavity.
15. The pretensioner of claim 1, wherein the guide arrangement
comprises a slot on one radial side of the frame and an attachment
bar on a radially opposite side of the frame.
16. A pretensioner for use as part of a motor vehicle seat belt
restraint system of the type mountable to a motor vehicle structure
and acting on a seat belt, the pretensioner upon being activated,
pretensioning the seat belt to reduce slack in the seat belt, the
pretensioner comprising: a frame configured to be fastened to a
vehicle; a gas generator configured to generate a gas pressure upon
receiving an electronic trigger signal; an actuating assembly
configured to be operated by the gas pressure generated by the gas
generator and to pull a length of a seat belt webbing into the
frame; and a locking ramp arrangement acting on the seat belt
webbing, configured to form a one-way clutch allowing movement of
the seat belt webbing into the frame and resisting a movement of
the seat belt webbing out of the frame.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to seatbelt
restraint systems for motor vehicles, and more particularly, to a
linear seatbelt pretensioner for a seatbelt restraint system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Seatbelt restraint systems for restraining an occupant in a
vehicle seat play an important role in reducing occupant injury in
vehicle crash situations. Seatbelt restraint systems of the
conventional so-called "3-point" variety commonly have a lap belt
section extending across the seat occupant's pelvis and a shoulder
belt section crossing the upper torso, which are fastened together
or are formed by a continuous length of seatbelt webbing. The lap
and shoulder belt sections are connected to the vehicle structure
by anchorages. A belt retractor is typically provided to store belt
webbing and may further act to manage belt tension loads in a crash
situation.
[0003] Seatbelt restraint systems which are manually deployed by
the occupant (so-called "active" types) also typically include a
buckle attached to the vehicle body structure by an anchorage. A
latch plate attached to the belt webbing is received by the buckle
to allow the belt system to be fastened for enabling restraint, and
unfastened to allow entrance and egress from the vehicle. Seatbelt
systems, when deployed, effectively restrain the occupant during a
collision.
[0004] Some seatbelt restraint systems include pretensioning
devices, which tension the seatbelt either prior to impact of the
vehicle (also known as a "pre-pretensioner") or at an early stage
of a sensed impact to enhance occupant restraint performance. The
pretensioner takes out slack in the webbing and permits the belt
restraint system to couple with the occupant early in the crash
sequence. Upon the detection of a condition leading to an imminent
impact or rollover, or in the event of an actual rollover, seat
belt webbing is automatically and forcibly retracted by the
pretensioner to tighten the seat belt against the occupant.
[0005] One type of pretensioning device is a pyrotechnic linear
pretensioner (PLP), which can be implemented as a pyrotechnic
buckle pretensioner (PBP) that is attached to a seat belt buckle.
PLPs can also be attached to a webbing guide loop or seatbelt
anchorage. Since both types pull a seat belt system component
linearly to apply tension in the belt webbing, both PLPs and PBPs
can be collectively referred to as PLPs. Examples of designs of
PLPs and PBPs are provided by U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,068,664 and
7,823,924, which are hereby incorporated by reference. Typical PLPs
have a pyrotechnic charge that is fired when a collision occurs,
producing expanding gas which pressurizes a gas chamber within a
tube, which forces a piston down the tube. The piston is connected
with the belt system by a cable or strap. Stroking of the piston
tightens or "pretensions" the belt against the occupant.
[0006] One limitation of known PLP designs in which the piston
stroke shortens a cable attached to one end of seatbelt webbing is
that this configuration limits the PLP mounting location to the
side of the seatbelt buckle because the other end of the seatbelt
is rolled up on a spool.
[0007] Also, in order to retract the cable, the cable is connected
to the piston and is pulled into the expanding gas chamber. Sealing
the gas chamber around the flexible cable presents a difficult
challenge. Pulling the cable past the seal generates friction that
needs to be compensated with a greater pull force. Also, the
location at which the cable enters the gas chamber creates a
potential pressure leak path. The gas escaping from the device into
the vehicle passenger compartment may lead to reduced efficiency of
the pretensioner and may contain combustion products that may
negatively affect seat occupants.
[0008] These shortcomings are typically compensated by using gas
generators producing a greater gas volume to ensure a piston stroke
sufficient to remove the slack in the seat belt. The gas chamber
needs to be long enough for the piston to move by the distance that
corresponds to the slack in the seat belt. All these properties of
existing linear pretensioner devices make PLPs rather large and
complex.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] It is an object of the present invention to reduce leak
paths from a PLP. It is further an object of the present invention
to provide a simplified, reliable, cost-effective PLP with fewer
parts. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide
a PLP that can be installed at various locations along the path of
a seat belt depending on packaging conditions of a given
vehicle.
[0010] The present invention provides a PLP that substantially
reduces leak paths for gas to escape from the PLP device by
eliminating a cable affixed to the piston that enters the gas
chamber. The present invention also reduces the stroke distance
needed for the piston by effecting a shortening of the seat belt by
twice the distance of the piston stroke. Furthermore, the PLP of
the present invention can be mounted in various locations along a
path of the seat belt because it acts directly on the belt webbing
and not on a cable or a belt anchorage.
[0011] The pretensioner of the present invention has a piston
sealingly guided inside a cylinder. The piston extends outward from
the cylinder and is connected to an actuating profile that acts
directly on the belt webbing. The belt webbing led around the
actuating profile so that the belt webbing is shortened by a
distance corresponding to twice the distance of the piston
stroke.
[0012] Once the seat belt is tensioned, a one-way clutch operating
with balls being wedged between a conical ramp formed on the piston
and the wall of the cylinder prevents that the piston returns to a
retracted position.
[0013] Additional details and advantages of the present invention
become apparent to those skilled in the art of the present
invention from the following description and the appended claims,
in connection with the accompanying drawings of exemplary
embodiments. It should be understood that the description and
specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only
and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] In the drawings,
[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a first
exemplary embodiment of a PLP according to the present invention in
a normal state before deployment;
[0016] FIG. 2 shows the same cross-sectional view of the PLP of
FIG. 1 after deployment;
[0017] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a second exemplary
embodiment of a PLP according to the present invention to
illustrate packaging and size;
[0018] FIG. 4 shows a different perspective view of the PLP of FIG.
3;
[0019] FIG. 5 shows a third exemplary embodiment of a PLP according
to the present invention in a perspective view;
[0020] FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the PLP of FIG.
5;
[0021] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the interior parts of the
PLP of FIG. 5 after deployment; and
[0022] FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the interior parts of
the PLP of FIG. 5 after deployment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and
is not intended to limit the present disclosure or its application
or uses.
[0024] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a schematic structure of a pretensioner
device 10 according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present
invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the pretensioner device 10 will be
described in the following using cylindrical coordinates and has an
axis of operation Z designating the axial direction of the
coordinates. The pretensioner device 10 has a base plate 12 formed
of sheet metal. The base plate 12 has a profile that is
approximately L-shaped with a long leg 14 extending in the axial
direction and a short leg 16 extending in the radial direction. An
axial central opening 18 is located in the short leg 16 of the base
plate 12. The axial central opening 18 is circular and allows to
insert a gas generator 20 into a block 22. The block 22 has a
substantially cylindrical shape with a central axial bore 24 that
has its narrowest diameter in a central axial section 26. Toward
the axial ends of the block 22, the bore 24 has a first widening
step 28 that accommodates a portion of the gas generator 20. A
second widening step 30 in block 22 opposite the first widening
step serves as an abutment for a hollow cylinder 32 that is
press-fitted into the bore 24. The block 22 has an axial collar 34
that is bent radially inward after insertion of the gas generator
20 by caulking or crimping. The collar 34 establishes a seal to the
outside and a positive axial lock securing the gas generator 20
against slipping out of block 22.
[0025] The cylinder 32 accommodates a plunger piston 40 that is
configured to slide out of the cylinder 32 away from the gas
generator 20. The piston 40 extends over most of the length of the
cylinder 32 and protrudes from the cylinder 32 with an enlarged
actuating profile 42 with an essentially semi-cylindrical end
surface 44 having a cylindrical axis extending in the radial
direction of the pretensioner device 10. The shape of the actuating
profile 42 is visible in greater detail in FIG. 3.
[0026] The actuating profile 42 deflects a seat belt webbing 38 by
an angle in a range of 160.degree. to 180.degree. between a first,
incoming direction 46 and a second, deflected direction 48 of the
seat belt webbing 38. The seat belt webbing 38 enters the
pretensioner device 10 in the first direction 46 through the slot
36, is guided around the actuating profile 42 and then led back in
the second direction 48, nearly opposite the first direction 46.
Near the connection of the short leg 16 and the long leg 14, the
seat belt webbing 38 is fastened to an attachment bar 50 extending
in a tangential direction and formed on a tongue 52 of the long leg
14 of the base plate 12. The seat belt webbing 38 is secured to the
attachment bar 50 with a loop 54 formed by an end 56 of the seat
belt webbing 38 that has been folded back and sewn to the seat belt
webbing 38.
[0027] The tongue 52 is a piece of the base plate 12 that has been
bent slightly radially outward, giving way to a window 58 in the
base plate 12 for guiding the seat belt webbing 38 from the
actuating profile to the attachment bar 50.
[0028] Inside the hollow cylinder 32, the piston 40 is sealed
against the interior cylinder wall 60 with an elastomeric O-ring 62
embedded in an annular groove 64 of the piston 40. Between the
O-ring 62 and the gas generator 20, the piston is shaped like a
truncated cone forming a ball ramp 66 with a flared cone base 68
adjacent to the annular groove 64 and tapered toward the gas
generator 20. Between the ball ramp 66 and the cylinder wall 60, a
plurality of balls 70 is arranged around the circumference of the
ball ramp 66. The balls 70 have a size that is dimensioned to allow
an axial movement of the balls 70 in an axial area of the ball ramp
66 proximate the gas generator 20, but to cause the balls 70 to be
jammed between the cylinder wall 60 and the cone base 68 upon a
force acting on piston 40, urging it to move in the retraction
direction.
[0029] For guiding the piston 40 in the axial direction Z, the
pretensioner device 10 has a pair of guide rails 72 extending in
the axial direction perpendicular to the base plate 12 and affixed
to the base plate 12 on opposite sides thereof, thereby forming a
frame consisting of the base plate 12 and the guide rails 72. Each
of the guide rails 72 has an axial guide slot 74 configured to
guide sliding knobs 76 (indicated by broken lines) formed on the
radially outer sides of the actuating profile 42.
[0030] An anchor bolt 78 for mounting the pretensioner device 10 in
a vehicle is guided through a mounting hole 80 in the long leg 14
of the base plate 12 between the window 58 and the end 82 of the
long leg 14. The mounting location of the pretensioner device 10 is
adaptable to packaging conditions inside the vehicle. Especially if
the belt webbing 38 is not fastened to the attachment bar 50, but
guided around the attachment bar, the pretensioner device 10 can be
installed in any location along the course of a seat belt where the
seat belt webbing extends near a vehicle wall or floor. By guiding
the seat belt webbing into and out of the pretensioner device 10,
the pretensioner device is not limited to a mounting location at
the end 56 of the seat belt webbing 38.
[0031] The shown embodiment uses the block 22 and the cylinder 32
to form a pretensioner body with an axial cavity consisting of the
bore 24 and the interior of the cylinder 32. These two parts are
replaceable by a one-piece body without leaving the scope of the
present invention.
[0032] FIG. 1 shows the pretensioner device 10 in a normal state.
The pretensioner device 10 is permanently in the normal state upon
installation, unless a trigger event occurs. A trigger event is a
sudden deceleration or external impact that causes an electrical
signal to be sent to the gas generator 20, causing the gas
generator 20 to deploy and to release expansion gas into the bore
24.
[0033] FIG. 2 shows the pretensioner device 10 of FIG. 1 after
deployment of the gas generator 20. Because the expansion gas
released by the gas generator 20 has increased the gas pressure in
the bore 24, the piston 40 has moved axially outward from the
cylinder 32, away from the gas generator 20. This axial movement of
the piston 40 is opposed by a pull force P or resistance of the
belt webbing. At some point, the opposing force P on the piston may
be so strong that the piston 40 is unable to pull more of the seat
belt webbing in the direction 46. Absent such a pull force P or
resistance, the piston 40 stops moving when one of the sliding
knobs 76 reaches the end of the guide slot 74. This signifies the
maximum possible stroke D of the piston 40. After the piston 40 has
traveled the distance D, the seat belt webbing 38 has been pulled
through slot 36 by a length corresponding to approximately twice
the distance D because the seat belt webbing 38 lines the piston 40
on two sides that are radially opposed. If the piston has only
traveled a portion of the distance D, the length of seat belt
webbing that has been pulled through slot 36 amounts to
approximately twice that portion.
[0034] During the axial movement out of the cylinder 32, the balls
70 have moved along with the piston 40. When now the pull force P
acts on the seat belt webbing 38 opposite to the direction 46, the
cone base 68 of the ball ramp 66 moves between the balls 70 and
jams the balls 70 between the ball ramp 66 and the cylinder wall
60. Through this interaction, the ball ramp 66 and the balls 70
form a one-way clutch stopping any further reverse movement of the
piston 40 toward the gas generator 20. The one-way clutch ensures
that the pretensioning action on the seat belt webbing 38 is
maintained.
[0035] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, a second embodiment of a
pretensioner device 110 is shown. The function of this second
embodiment is identical to the function of the embodiment shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2, and parts corresponding to elements of FIGS. 1 and 2
bear reference numerals raised by 100.
[0036] The pretensioner device 110 has a base plate 112 that, in
addition to a long leg 114 and a short leg 116, also has a U-shaped
extension 115 bent around the axial ends of guide rails 172 and
interlocked therewith by corresponding noses 117 formed on the
guide rails 172 and on the extension 115. The U-shaped extension
115 may provide a stop for an end surface 144 of an actuating
profile 142 connected to a piston 140.
[0037] The guide rails 172 have guide slots 174 with a locally
widened width for inserting sliding knobs 176 formed on the
actuating profile 142. Depending on the final dimensions of the
device 110, the length of the guide slots 174 or the position of
the extension 115 or both may determine the position in which the
piston 140 cannot move any further.
[0038] In the present embodiment, the base plate 112 is reinforced
by a backing plate 113. A slot 136 penetrates both the base plate
112 and the backing plate 113, and an attachment bar 150 is formed
on the backing plate 113 adjacent to a window 158 in the base plate
112. Like the previous embodiment, the pretensioner device of FIGS.
3 and 4 has an open frame. Here, the frame consists of the base
plate 112, the guide rails 172 and the backing plate 113.
[0039] A machined block 122 is inserted between the guide rails
172. The guide rails 172 are screwed onto the block 122 with rivets
or bolts 177. Likewise, the base plate and the backing plate are
also affixed to the block 122. A cylinder 132 is press-fitted into
the block 122.
[0040] In the drawings of FIGS. 3 and 4, the piston 140 is not
visible because it is concealed by the cylinder 132. The actuating
profile 144 may be formed on the piston 140 or a separate part
connected to the piston 140.
[0041] Not shown is any seat belt webbing in order to reveal the
interior arrangement of elements inside the pretensioner device
110. The installation of seat belt webbing into the pretensioner
device 110 is analogous to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. Passing
through the slot 136, the webbing is guided around the end surface
144 of the actuating profile 142. From the end surface 144, the
webbing is then threaded through the window 154 to be fastened to
the attachment bar 150. Alternatively, the seat belt webbing may be
guided through a slot 151 formed by the attachment bar 150 to be
fastened to a different part of the vehicle. The attachment bar 150
or the slot 151 between the attachment bar 150 and the backing
plate 113 on one side and the slot 136 on the other side form a
guide arrangement for the belt webbing. The length of the seat belt
webbing 238 received by the guide arrangement increases upon
deployment of the gas generator 120.
[0042] The base plate 112 is shown with a mounting hole 180 for
anchoring the pretensioner device in the vehicle. In FIGS. 3 and 4,
it is shown without an anchor bolt.
[0043] In block 122, a gas generator 120 is inserted that has a
threaded end piece 121 protruding through an axial central opening
118 in the base plate 114 and the backing plate 113. The gas
generator 120 can be secured to the base plate 112 and to the
backing plate 113 by a nut (not shown) screwed onto the threaded
end piece 121.
[0044] FIGS. 5 through 10 show a third exemplary embodiment of a
linear pretensioner device 210 according to the present invention.
Where applicable, reference numbers have been increased by 200
relative to those of FIGS. 1 and 2 for functionally equivalent
elements.
[0045] The pretensioner device 210 will be described in the
following in a synopsis of FIGS. 5 through 8. The pretensioner
device 210 has a frame 211 that integrally forms a base plate 212,
two side rails 272 and an extension 215 at one axial end of the
base plate 212. The base plate 212 extends in an axial direction Z
and has a width slightly wider than the width of a seat belt
webbing 238. The base plate 212 has at least one mounting hole 280
for anchoring the pretensioner device 210 on a part of a vehicle
structure.
[0046] On the two lateral sides of the base plate 212, the side
rails 272 extend in the axial direction Z perpendicular to the base
plate 212. The side rails 272 each have an inward-bent rim 273
formed along their longitudinal edges opposite the base plate 212.
The rims 273 support a backing plate 213 having a central section
282 that extends parallel to the base plate 212 with two laterally
spaced arms 284 embracing the side rails 272 and fastened to the
frame 211 by a bolt 286 that extends through the entire width of
the frame from one side rail 272 to the other. An attachment bar
250 for attaching the belt webbing 238 is formed on the backing
plate 213.
[0047] Between the side rails 272, the bolt 286 is guided through a
closed end portion 288 of a cylinder 232. The cylinder 232 has a
hollowed end 233 facing the extension 215 of the frame 21. A slide
240 has an end portion forming a semicylindrically shaped actuating
profile 242 adapted to abut a belt webbing 238. The slide 240. From
FIG. 7, it is evident that the slide 240 has a substantially
rectangular cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the
longitudinal direction Z. The rectangular cross-section is
dimensioned to be guided along the longitudinal direction Z in the
frame 211 between the side rails 272 in one radial dimension and
between the base plate 212 and the rims 273 in the other radial
dimension. A cylindrical cavity 244 inside the slide 240 is
configured to receive the cylinder 232. The cylinder 232 is sealed
against the cylindrical cavity 244 to reduce gas leakage during
deployment of the gas generator 220.
[0048] Near the actuating profile 242, the slide 240 has a radially
opening receptacle 271 for receiving a gas generator 220. At least
the one of the side rails 272 that is located on the side of the
gas generator 220 has an axial slot 274 that is dimensioned to
allow the gas generator to be connected to an electronic control
unit and to allow the slide 240 to move in the axial direction Z
upon deployment of the gas generator 220.
[0049] The side rails 272 each have an angled slot 290 near their
ends axially opposite the extension 215. The orientation of the
angled slots 290 places the slots at a farther distance from the
base plate at their ends proximate the extension 215 than at their
opposite ends. An exemplary range of the angle a between the angled
slots and the base plate is 20.degree. to 45.degree.. A locking
wedge 266 has two sliding tabs 292 that penetrate the angled slots
290 and are slidable along the angled slots 290. The sliding tabs
292 have an elongated profile extending in a direction coinciding
with the orientation of the angled slots 290 so that the locking
wedge 266 cannot rotate in the angled slots 290 and can only a
linear movement along the angled slots 290. The angled slots 290
accordingly operate like a ramp for the sliding tabs 292 moving the
locking wedge 266 close to the backing plate 212 when the sliding
tabs travel along the angled slots 290 to the left in the shown
perspective and moving the locking wedge 266 away from the backing
plate 212 when the sliding tabs 292 travel in the opposite
direction.
[0050] The locking wedge has two operational surfaces 267 and 269,
of which one toothed surface 267 extends parallel to the base plate
212 and is configured to interact with the belt webbing 238
depicted in FIG. 6.
[0051] Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10, the toothed surface 267 has
slanted teeth 299 that extend downward and toward the extension
215. The teeth 299 are arranged in a sense pattern promoting
engagement of the teeth with the belt webbing 238. The angle of the
slanted teeth 299 allows a relative movement of the belt webbing
238 toward the extension 215, but not in the opposite direction.
Furthermore, a pulling force exerted on the belt webbing 238
opposite to the axial direction Z causes the toothed surface 267 to
be moved closer to the belt webbing 238 because the belt webbing
238 engages the toothed surface 267 and moves the locking wedge 266
along so that the sliding tabs 292 travel along the angled slots
290 toward the belt webbing 238. This results in an additional
radial force locking the teeth 299 of the toothed surface 267 in
the material of the seat belt webbing 238. Accordingly, this
arrangement forms a one-way clutch through the interaction of the
toothed surface 267 with the belt webbing 238 through the ramp
function performed by the angled slots 290 and the sliding tabs
292.
[0052] The other operative surface of the locking wedge 266 is an
abutment surface 269. The abutment surface 269 is slanted with
respect to the base plate. The abutment surface 269 is arranged
adjacent to an end surface 294 of the cylinder 232 that is
configured to support the locking wedge 266 when the sliding tabs
292 of the locking wedge 266 have reached the ends of the angled
slots 290 proximate the cylinder 232. The angle .beta. between the
abutment surface 269 and the orientation of the angled slots 290
may be a right angle or may be in the range of 60.degree. to
120.degree.. The angle is chosen for an effective abutment of the
wedge on the cylinder 232.
[0053] The belt webbing 238 enters the pretensioner device 210
between the base plate 212 and the toothed surface 267 of the
locking wedge. The belt webbing 238 is further guided along the
base plate 212 and wrapped around the actuating profile 242,
thereby being deflected by nearly 180.degree.. From the actuating
profile, the belt webbing 238 extends to the attachment bar 250 on
the backing plate, on which the belt webbing 238 is fastened, for
instance by threading the belt webbing 238 around the attachment
bar 250 and securing the end with a seam. Other fastening options
include a bead securing the end of the belt webbing 238 in a slot.
In a variation of the shown embodiment, the belt webbing 238 is not
fastened to the attachment bar 250 and threaded through an opening
251 formed between the attachment bar 250 and the backing plate 213
to enable a variable positioning of the pretensioner device 210 in
a vehicle. The attachment bar 250 or the opening 251 on one side
and the locking wedge 266 cooperating with the base plate 212 on
the other side form a guide arrangement for the belt webbing 238.
As will be described in the following, the length of the seat belt
webbing 238 received by the guide arrangement increases upon
deployment of the gas generator 220.
[0054] The pretensioner device 210 includes an optional leaf spring
288 between the abutment surface 269 of the locking wedge 266 and
the cylinder end surface 294 for noise reduction when the gas
generator 220 deploys. An optional preassembly hook 296 on the
cylinder end portion 288 is configured to snap into a corresponding
recess or hole 298 on the slide 240. The preassembly hook 296 is
dimensioned to withstand only a small pulling force so that it
releases the slide 240 upon deployment of the gas generator
220.
[0055] The pretensioner device 210 operates as follows: upon
sensing or anticipating an impact or a vehicle rollover, an
electronic control unit (not shown) sends a trigger signal to the
gas generator 220. The gas generator 220 deploys and generates a
gas pressure that travels through the actuating profile 242 into
the cylindrical cavity 244 and the hollowed end 233 of the cylinder
232. The pressure inside the cylinder 232 exerts an axial force in
the direction Z on the slide 240, thereby moving the slide 240 and
the actuating profile 242 in the axial direction Z. The preassembly
hook 296 releases the slide 240 under the generated pressure force.
As the actuating profile 242 moves toward the extension 215, the
belt webbing 238 is pulled into the pretensioner device 210 by a
length that is approximately twice the travel of the movement of
the actuating profile 242. If no opposing force is exerted on the
belt webbing, the travel of the actuating profile 242 ends when the
belt webbing wrapped around the actuating profile abuts the
extension 215. The extension 215 determines the maximum stroke of
the slide 240.
[0056] A pulling force on the belt webbing 238 opposite to the
axial direction Z stops the slide travel if the pulling force is
equal to or exceeds the force generated by the gas pressure on the
slide 240. The pulling force, however, is eventually blocked from
pulling the belt webbing 238 back out of the pretensioner device
210 due to the teeth 299 arranged on the toothed surface 267
engaging the belt webbing 238. Any outward movement of the belt
webbing 238 from the pretensioner device 210 stops when the locking
wedge 266 has reached a locked position from which the locking
wedge cannot move any farther outward from the pretensioner device
210. Depending on the thickness of the belt webbing 238 and the
distance of the angled slots 274 from the belt webbing 238, the
locking position is reached when either the toothed surface 267
presses against the belt webbing 238 on the base plate 212 or when
the sliding tabs 292 have reached the outward ends of the angled
slots 290.
[0057] The foregoing description of three embodiments of the
invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and
description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the
invention to the precise embodiments disclosed. Numerous
modifications or variations are possible in light of the above
teachings. The embodiments discussed were chosen and described to
provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention
and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary
skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments
and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use
contemplated. Such modifications include combinations of details
disclosed in different embodiments. All such modifications and
variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by
the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth
to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.
* * * * *